Real Madrid reaches the Champions League semifinals for 15th time

Karim Benzema stole the spotlight as Real Madrid pulled off just enough to kick off Chelsea from the Champions League at Santiago on Tuesday night with a 5-4 aggregate win.

This is the 15th time Madrid has reached the semifinals, including 10 of the last 12. This is the most by any team in the Champions League history.

15 – @realmadriden have reached the @ChampionsLeague semifinals for the 15th season, including 10 of the last 12, the most of any team in the competition's history. King. pic.twitter.com/zl1QXnHIWi

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) April 12, 2022

With the return of Carlo Ancelotti’s team with the lead after Benzema’s 3-1 hat-trick in the first leg, they advanced on aggregate despite losing 3-2 to Chelsea.

Mason Mount lifted the hopes for his team within the first 15 minutes of the game. They went up 2-0, leveling the aggregate score.

VAR denied Marcos Alonso’s goal for handball, and Benzema struck the crossbar before Timo Werner beat Thibaut Courtois to score it 3-0 and put Chelsea 4-3 up on aggregate.

Soon after, Real Madrid equalized when substitute Rodrygo beat Edouard Mendy with a superb ball into the box from Luka Modric to force extra time.

Madrid made only one change since the first leg, bringing in nacho in place of Eder Militao.

Chelsea manager Thomas Alonso brought in Alonso, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mateo Kovacic and Werner.

“Another incredible night at the Bernabeu. The tie got very difficult, and another spectacular reaction from the team puts us in the semi-finals,” Nacho told Movistar after the match. “The important thing is we’re in the next round.

“We have a lot of things to improve, especially at the start of the game, but this is Real Madrid, we’re taught here to never give up. The DNA of this club is to fight until the end. Mission accomplished.

“We’re prepared to fight for everything, in the good and the bad moments, even if we hadn’t gone through we fought until the end.”

With Benzema’s fee kick, Madrid created its first chance. however, it was the visitors who were looking fearless.

Mount gave Chelsea the lead by cutting inside and sweeping the ball past Courtois. Kai Havertz had a shot deflected wide and Rudiger headed onto the roof of the goal before Mount gave Chelsea the lead by cutting inside and sweeping the ball clinically past Courtois.

The hosts attempted to retaliate, and Benzema’s left-footed drive was deflected off target, but Chelsea went into the interval ahead and in command.

After Reece James’ attempt was deflected wide, Rudiger scored with a towering header from the resulting corner in the 51st minute to give the European champions a 2-0 lead.

After Benzema’s free kick was saved by Mendy, Chelsea believed they’d taken the lead when Alonso blazed past Courtois, only for the goal to be rightfully ruled out for handball.

After Benzema’s mazy run through the area, Chelsea scored in the 75th minute through Werner, who sent a shot that Courtois could only deflect over the line after Benzema’s mazy run through the area.

Chelsea appeared to have completed a stunning comeback until Rodrygo, who had just been on the pitch for two minutes, blasted Modric’s pass past Mendy in the 80th minute to level the score at 4-4 on aggregate.

Nacho added: “At [Modric’s] age, every day he’s better. He’s an example not just for players, but for people in general. It’s like he’s the youngest in the team. Let’s hope he’s with us for many more years.”

In extra time, Benzema added to his Champions League heroics by running onto a clipped-in cross from Vinicius and beating Mendy with a header to send Real to the semifinals.